The following information is provided to assist the reader in understanding technologies disclosed below and the environment in which such technologies may typically be used. The terms used herein are not intended to be limited to any particular narrow interpretation unless clearly stated otherwise in this document. References set forth herein may facilitate understanding of the technologies or the background thereof. The disclosure of all references cited herein are incorporated by reference.
Kiteboarding is a water sport in which the power of wind is harnessed with a controllable power kite to propel an individual across the land or water on a kiteboard which is similar to a wakeboard or a small surfboard. Kitesurfing is a style of kiteboarding where the board is designed to be used on a wave. Often the board has a distinct nose and tail that performs best traveling the direction from the nose towards the tail. The board may or may not have foot-straps.
Modern power kites (or simply kites) are designed to operate over a range of wind speeds. However, wind speed may vary over a span of time, requiring the use of kites having different surface areas. In general, kites of larger area are adapted for use with lower wind speeds and may become unsafe to operate at higher wind speeds. Typically, three or four kites of different areas are taken by a kitesurfer to an outing. When a kitesurfer needs to change out the kite because of a wind change, the kitesurfer must return to shore either on a dangerously overpowered kite or on an underpowered kite. Once on shore, the kitesurfer must land the kite, which is one of the riskiest procedures in the sport. Once the kite is landed, the kitesurfer must lay out their lines and equipment on the beach which requires space and wears out the equipment faster. Moreover, the requirement of maintaining multiple kites to kitesurf in various wind speeds makes kitesurfing a very expensive sport as each kite typically costs USD 1,500 or more.